X20

Fuji x20 Review: X-Pro1 technology in a compact body

27/04/2013 By Heather 6 Comments

N.B.: This article is the complete review of the Fujifilm x20. To see our series of mini-reviews dealing with specific aspects of the camera, go here: Macro Test, Low-Light Test, Advanced Mode Test, B&W Gallery, and Photoshow Gallery.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you put X-Pro1 technology into a small point-and-shoot body? Well, the result would be the new Fujifilm x20. Contained within its compact shell is a smaller updated version of the X-Trans CMOS sensor found in the X-Pro1 and X-E1, making this camera one of the highest-performing compacts on the market in terms of image quality.

Fujifilm x20: Low-light performance test at the National Cinema Museum of Turin

27/03/2013 By Heather Leave a Comment

Update: Check out our x20 full review, Photoshow gallery, Advanced mode test, and high ISO test.

We all know that mirrorless cameras like the Olympus OM-D E-M5, the Panasonic GH3 and the Fujifilm x100s have been bestowed with superior low-light capabilities. And with an average price tag of over $1000, we shouldn’t expect much less.

So, what should we be hoping for from the new Fujifilm x20 in terms of ISO performance? Despite its classy retro appearance, it is, in all effects, a compact point-and-shoot, so we need to treat it as such.

Fujifilm x20: Review of Advanced Mode with the Mole Antonelliana

22/03/2013 By Heather 1 Comment

Update: Check out our x20 full review, homemade macro test, Photoshow gallery, and high ISO test.

Spring has sprung here in Turin, and for the first time in a long while, the Alps were clearly visible from the city centre. Since this industrial Italian city is located in a valley, smog and mist often shroud the mountains from sight, but every now and then, the winds carry it away, leaving us with a view that makes the Torinese (and foreigners like me) burst with pride.

After work, I took a stroll up to Monte dei Cappucini, one of the best places to photograph not only the mountains but the city itself. The panoramic view extends as far as Mt. Viso to the left, carries on past the Mole Antonelliana in the heart of the city, and finishes at the basilica Superga on the far right.

Given the fine weather and clear skies, I went ahead and tested some of the functions found in the Advanced Mode of the Fujifilm x20.

Experimenting with the Fuji X20: A Homemade Macro Test

21/03/2013 By Mathieu Leave a Comment

Update: Check out our x20 full review, Photoshow gallery, Advanced mode test, and high ISO test.

Yesterday, we published the very first pictures taken with the Fujifilm x20 the day the camera arrived. Tonight, back at home, I was inspired to play around with the macro mode. The important thing was to find something small and detailed to photograph, so I turned to my old collection of Formula 1 cars, as I was a big Ayrton Senna fan when I was little. I took three of them, and put them in different positions on our dining room table.

After placing the camera on a tripod, I set the ISO to 100 and the macro mode to Super Macro. There are two modes on the X20, the Macro and Super Macro mode. The first one lets you use a little bit more focal range, while the second lets you focus in really close. However, it is restricted to only the widest angle and flash is disable. With the Super Macro mode, the X20 can focus really close at its widest angle, around 1 cm.

A walk in the city with the Fuji X20: First pictures

19/03/2013 By Heather Leave a Comment

Update: Check out our x20 full review, homemade macro test, Photoshow gallery, Advanced mode test, and high ISO test.

Nothing could have delighted us more than the phone call we received this morning in Mat’s studio. A single copy of the Fujifilm x20 had just arrived at our local camera store, and it was waiting for us to pick it up and take it home. (Yes, we anthropomorphise our cameras!)

Unfortunately, Mat was knee-deep in work for his studio, so I decided to take our new Fuji friend out for a inaugural stroll myself.

I have to say that, for a camera with a small sensor, the image quality is very good. I have yet to see the colours and dynamic range in RAW format as Lightroom has not yet released a software update for the X20 and X100S, but the colours of the JPGs that come straight out of the camera seem natural and pleasant. Shadows seem a little bit too dark in some shots, but we will see the true potential of the camera in the RAW files.